Introduction

Founded in 1548, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the orchestra of the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden, is the oldest orchestra in the world, and one of the richest in tradition. The orchestra has been associated with superlative music directors and conductors, including Carl Maria van Weber, Richard Wagner, Richard Strauss, Fritz Reiner, Karl Böhm, Rudolf Kempe, Herbert von Karajan, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Eugen Jochum and Seiji Ozawa. Richard Strauss had a 60-year association with the orchestra: nine of his operas were premiered in Dresden, and the Alpine Symphony dedicated to the Staatskapelle Dresden. Bernard Haitink assumed the position of Chief Conductor after the sudden death of Giuseppe Sinopoli in 2001, and was succeeded by Fabio Luisi in 2007. The Orchestra's present Music Director - since the Summer of 2012 - is the German conductor Christian Thielemann.